The Portland daily press., 1887-03-07

ARepIy to the Address of the Soldiers
Monument Association.

facts appearing on the city records. The
first statement is:
1T Is now more than two years since the Monu-
ment Association instructed its executive commit
zee 10 apply TO The City Government Tor permission
10 erect a monument to the memory etc Ii is
alleged in this address that the city Is asked 80
i've KY AWAY us property there On The contrary,
me monument Association simply asks permission
70 improve and beauty the property, which win
still belong to the city,"
The President of the Association, who
now heads the list of signers to this reply,
on the 10th day of February. 1885, addressed
memorial to the City Government in his
official capacity, in which he holds this
language:
"That the conueydnce to this Association by the
city Of the lot In Market Square, upon which the
Old City Hall now stands Would be a substantial
aid to said Association financially and would pro-
vide the location for said monument which in
the Judgment OF said Association is the best to be
found IN the city; therefore pray in my said
capacity that your honorable body will c0acey the
above described lot to said Association for the
purpose named without cost, said Association
undertaking TO erect thereon within three years."
etc.
On May 4, 1885, the President of the Asso-
citation, in a letter to Hon. John w. Deering,
then Mayor, calls attention to the foregoing
petition and urges the appointment of a day
for hearing and contains the further re-
quest, as alleged by direction of the Associa-
ton, that the proper and necessary steps
be taken for submitting the request of said
Association as therein contained to a popular
vote at as early a day as III the judgment Of
the City Council may be possible
A hearing was had, and the President Of
| the Association appeared and advocated that
the prayer of the petition should be granted.
! The hearing was public, and those who were
present can recolleet what the demand then
| was. 1t was found that the statutes of the
State limited the appropriation by towns
| and cities for the erection of monuments to
| $4,000. The City Council wisely hesitated
by granting real estate instead of appro-
! priating money to disregard the limitation
and restriction of the statute.
Then on March 27, 1886, not quite two
| years ago, the same representative of the
association speaking officially, ina commC-
nication to the City Council, says:
II therefore pray IN my said capacity that said
| the purpose stated 1.-THE erection of 4 monuinentl
by allowing said Association to erect thereon
within three years from the date of the passage
of such order by your Honorable body a monll-
ment."
Still the City Council hesitated. Perhaps
they could not appreciate the substantial
dliference between giving away the title to
| the property and forever giving away the
use OF the property. SO new scheme was
devised, and petition was prepared and suf-
nciently signed, a copy of the substantial
parts of which is as follows:
We the undersigned citizens of said Portland
and tax payers respectfully petition and give you
to be informed that whereas In the Judgment Of
yonr petitioners, the puOc convenience requires
tnat t1e lot upon which the building known as
line Olu City HAIR now stands and known as
Market Square and bounded, etc.. There follows a
description OF the lott should be dedicated to the
pubic USE as q public park or square. Your Pc
tltloners therefore respectfully request that you
VIII take such meas ureS under and by virtue OF
Chapter 8, Sections 90, So and 81 Of the Revised
Statutes Of the State of Maine, as are necessary
to dedicate and devote the said lot to the use 81
the PUBLIC as a public square and as in duty
pound VIII ever pray"
There was no disguise of the real design
and purpose OF this movement. 1t was q
contrlvance to get round the legal obstacles
IN the way of the monument association
Nobody for an instant was deceived The
artlilce was too transparent, and the pre-
tence OF making square or park" in that
place was universally recognized as no rea
part OF the petitions aim and purpose.
But even this well arranged scheme failed
of success with the City Council. Some new
way must be formed to accomplish the Oh
Ject. Inc aid OF the legislature and a popu
lar vote is the final resort.
1t is literally correct for the committee t.
say now, I'VE do not ask the city to give IL,
the property" it is not correct to say that
they have not for two years made such q re
quest But Walving the exact form an6
strict legal nature of their demand, do the
experienced and intelligent gentlemen who
sign this reply hope to gain the respect and
confidence of their fellow citizens by Gisap-
proving request for the gift IF the proper
ty, when they are using their utmost endeav-
ors to secure the perpetual use of the prop
erty to the purposes of their association
while at the sameltime they are to he relieved
from all the burdens that night rest on them
if they held the legal title? This is only a
new Illustration of the extremes to which
the eager pursuit of theory will carry men
ordinarily candid aud reasonable
A similar evasiveness is found in the re-
ply to the statement of the address that the
present tenant is ready to take lease at five
per cent on $75,000,-Oh say they mo such
proposition has been made'-again we are
told, ward rooms and armOries are not need
ca, q better place Tor an arm0ry is now owned
on Market street by the city. If so why has
1t not been occupied for that purpose, the
city's treasury relieved from the draft of more
than $425 year for the last five wears, fol
rent OF armories for which there has not
been room in Old City Hall? The city audi
tors report will show what is the exact
amount of this expenditure.
The statements of the address in respect
to cost OF repairs on Old City Hall, are chal
lenged by reference to the auditor s..report
A reference to that officers annual reports
Tor each year from 1913 to 1856 inclusive
will show. that with the exception of two
years in which the report is 1915 carpentry
masonry, painting. plumbing, $17570 1854
carpentry, masonry and painting, $11370
the charges are for repairs, alterations, ETC.
and It is understood from the auditor that il
would be nearly impossible to state how
much OF these items were for alterations
But it still remains true. that nearly il no,
quite all these expenditures were on the ar
mories, and not fairly chargeable to the
for constant small repairs.
OF a fair price with the denial of seeking
the gift OF the. property is the disingenuous
reference to the position of the address
wherein it is asked if the income of old City
Hall VIII pave streets, construct sewers,
erect school houses, &C., &c. 1t would not
be courteous to say that this is designed to
blind the voters by casting dirt. The adj
dress says that in the condition of the city's
finances, and with the many pressing claims
Ior expenditure Of the highest importance
the amount involved in the destruction of
Old City Hall, and the conversion OF the
square to the single uses of monument. is
Wasteful and unjustitiable. Will the execu-
tive committee explain the Inconsistency be-
monuments will add to the taxable value OF
the city, and the admission that in the
changes going on in respect to the course O1
business this district is gaining-a gain upon
winch the monument has had no influence
but which is evidently at the expense of othei
localities, land adds little to the aggregate tax.
able value of the city.
AS to the communication of "Veteran. .
little need be said. He plainly shows he is
animated by luminosity to Old City Hall
far as he does feel an interest in a monument
il is because he wishes it to be an annoyance
and disturbance to portion of the public
Besides he misrepresents either wilfully or
through want Of comprehension of the argu-
ments of the other side
No one ever claimed that the mere destruc-
| tion of this property would increase the
| city's debt. Does Veteran" deny it would
impair and diminish the city' S resources and
property? The trustworthiness of his reas
oning is quite evident, in the point that the
| cost of janitor must be reckoned in value
ing this property. The janitor is made nee
essary by the devotion of parts of the build
ing to armories. Kendall q Whitney require
no janitor now, and would require none if
they had lease of the entire building.
Veteran betrays his respect for others
when he characterizes temperate and sober
address to the citizens, in which no refer
ence is east on any one, as 'impudence, pure
and undefiled." Let him reflect longer on
the application of his elegant and refined
word cheek" XXX.
No Monev Reipo Smart